used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
assnounUS /æs/
the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
bellsnounUS /belz/
plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
bleakadjectiveUS /bliːk/
offering little or no hope
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
chillyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪli/
not characterized by emotion
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
comfortlessadjective
without comfort
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
Damer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading What shall we do? for I fear we shall be lost.'
having the power of driving or impelling
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
fablenounUS /ˈfeɪbəl/
a deliberately false or improbable account
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading What shall we do? for I fear we shall be lost.'
foals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
set up or found
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
herbagenoun
succulent herbaceous vegetation of pasture land
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading What shall we do? for I fear we shall be lost.'
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
loiteringverbUS /ˈlɔɪtərɪŋ/
-ing form of “loiter” — be about
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading What shall we do? for I fear we shall be lost.'
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
cut with a saw
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
only a very short time before
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading What shall we do? for I fear we shall be lost.'
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
get rid of
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
shepherdnounUS /ˈʃepərd/
a clergyman who watches over a group of people
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
in the near future
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
themesnounUS /θiːmz/
plural of “theme” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
tinklingadjectiveUS /ˈtɪŋkəlɪŋ/
like the short high ringing sound of a small bell
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The ass turned her head, for she heard the tinkling of bells, and saw a shepherd driving sheep from the common.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What shall we do? for I fear we shall be lost.'
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading 'This is a comfortless life!' said the ass; 'the winds are chilly, the snow will soon fall, and we have not a shed to cover us!
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading "One bleak, cold winter morning, an ass and her foals were loitering upon the edge of a wild common; not a tree was to be seen, and scarcely a bit of herbage for their breakfast to be found.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With some surprise, Miss Damer, in looking over the themes, read the following fable:
